


Caged Birds Must Fly

by Rose_Lattes



Category: Mass Effect: Andromeda
Genre: Angst, Family Angst, Gen, One Shot, Probably ooc, angry Sara, but she's mad and sad
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-12-02
Updated: 2017-12-02
Packaged: 2019-02-09 19:40:20
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,776
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/12895296
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Rose_Lattes/pseuds/Rose_Lattes
Summary: Sara reflects on being the second out of cryo. When Scott invites her to stay on the Tempest, Sara has no choice but to explode.





	Caged Birds Must Fly

Sara was the second out of cryo. Scott came first. Like always.

She missed it. She missed her father’s death, she missed first contact with the Kett and the Angarans. She missed the process of creating a world for mankind to prosper in. 

She missed the adventure.

All because they chose to take Scott out first.

She shouldn’t hold grudges, she knows that. But everytime she sees her brother with  _ his _ crew,  _ his _ ship, she can’t help but grow angry. She should have been pathfinder, she was older than him, if her father had to pass down the position it should have been her. This should be her ship, her crew. She shook her head and her ponytail bounced as she poured a cup of coffee. 

“Sara please come to the conference room,” Scott said through the intercom. 

Sara’s jaw clenched and she straightened up before leaving the room, the warm cup of coffee was left on the galley table.

When Sara walked up the ramp to the conference room she bristled. The crew was in a light conversation about open mic night at the Vortex. Sara heard Jaal’s rumbling laughter before she saw him.

“You can barely finish a joke without giggling, there is no way in hell that you can get up in front of a crowd and complete a set,” Scott said.

“Well excuse me, Mr. Tann Can Go Fuck Himself, it’s not like you’re the most eloquent speaker in the galaxy either,” Liam responded.

Scott raised his hands in mock defense. “Hey, I’m just trying to prevent your humiliation.” He spotted his sister. “Ah, Sara, thank you for coming.”

Sara forced a smile. “Kinda hard not to when you buzz me through the intercom.” She gave a small nod toward the crew in an attempt at a polite greeting. “What did you need?”

“Well, this request is from the entire team not just me.” Scott moved to stand with the team, he rested his back on the table. “We talked it over,” he glanced to Cora and she nodded, “we want you onboard. ” He punctuated the end of his sentence and waited for her response.

Sara stilled and blankly stared at her brother. He was doing this on purpose. He invited her on his ship to show off his new friends and all of his accomplishments, and now he offers her a spot on the Tempest. As if she can’t do anything else with her life except sit in his shadow. She gritted her teeth and locked her eyes with Scott’s. “No.”

The crew shifted behind Scott. Vetra narrowed her eyes and her mandibles visibly tightened. Liam suddenly became very interested in the floor and despite Peebee’s obvious confusion she remained silent. 

“No?” Scott said, he cocked his head and crossed his arms. “Sara, this is your chance to get out there and explore--”

“I said, no,” Sara interjected. She clasped her hands behind her back and lifted her chin. 

Scott let out a huff of air and looked around the conference room. “You all are dismissed.” Cora nodded before leading the crew down the ramp. Drack caught Sara’s glance before he left. She quickly brought her attention back to her brother. 

“Sara,” Scott started, he took a step closer. “What’s wrong? You’ve been acting weird ever since you woke from cryo. Are you sick?”

“I’m feeling fine.” 

“Then why say no? You always talked about how when you got to Andromeda how many adventures you would go on, how many places there were to explore. Where did that go?”

Sara’s eyes lit up. “It’s still here, Scott. I appreciate the offer, but I need to find my own way through the Helius cluster.” She looked over Scott’s shoulder. The dark vastness of space welcomed her from behind the glass. She clenched her fists and drew her gaze to the breast of her brother’s jacket. The bold AI insignia burned straight through her face. “And what’s the point of exploring when that’s your job.” 

Scott reached a hand out. “That’s not true.”

Sara moved back and her brows furrowed. “Stop.” She shook her head. “You have a ship, a crew, a title. I have nothing.” Her voice grew louder. “Stop trying to convince me to be just another one of your support beams. I’m not like these other companions you've managed to find. I’m not another one for the collection. I am going to be somebody. I was meant to be somebody!”

The hall rang silent. 

Scott let his hand flutter back to his side. “You are somebody.”

Sara shook her head. “No. I’m Scott Ryder’s sister and I’m Alec Ryder’s daughter. I’m nothing more than another name beneath you.” Sara watched as her brother’s face contorted in a mixture of pain and anger. “I need to leave.” She swallowed and moved to look out the window. “This place isn’t for me. This isn’t my home.” She looked back to Scott’s blue eyes. His perfect eyes. “Not yet.”

Scott sighed and moved back, slightly bumping into the conference table. “It seems like you’ve made up your mind.” Sara nodded. “Just wherever you go, stay in touch. If not for me, for Mom.”

“I don’t take orders from you.” Sara’s voice was harsher than intended, she paused and reevaluated his request. “But I will, for Mom.” She moved to the ramp. “I’ll get my stuff ready. Next time we dock at the Nexus, I’ll take my leave.” She made her way back to her quarters.

Scott stood in the empty conference area, turmoil clouded his mind to the point of raw frustration. After Sara was out of sight he let out a shaky breath before making his way to the med bay. 

“Scott, what’s wrong?” Lexi asked. She wasn’t used to seeing him in such frantic state.

Scott raised his hands to rest them at his head. “You have to check on Sara. She’s not okay.”

Lexi quickly got to her feet, her chair hit the side of her desk. “What happened? Where is she?” She reached a hand towards her omnitool. 

“I-- I don’t know. She wants off the ship.” 

Lexi relaxed. “Wanting a bit of shore leave isn’t an illness, Scott.”

“It’s not just shore leave, she is packing her things now, you should have seen the look in her eyes, she’s not the Sara that I knew. She’s different, cryo must have messed her up. Review her file for any problems that might have slipped through.” When Lexi didn’t move, Scott stopped pacing and frowned at her. “What?”

“Scott, nothing’s wrong with her.”

“What do you mean? She kept going on about being alone, doing everything by herself. It’s not okay. She’s refusing my help because she’s bitter.”

“And when has bitterness ever killed someone.” Lexi moved closer. “Think of it this way, if you woke up from 600 years of sleep to realize your Dad was dead, your sibling was deemed the successor to the pathfinder role, the mission you set out to accomplish was already done, and the only work to be finished are jobs that could easily be found in the Milky Way. Wouldn’t you feel a bit left out?”

Scott rubbed his shoe into the clean linoleum. He quietly said, “it’s not like her.”

“Give her time.” Lexi retrieved her chair and sat down. “You had months to take in the emotional trauma that Helius brought to the Ryder family. She’s had a week.”

“I don’t want her to get hurt.”

“Maybe, she needs to get hurt before she can get over this,” Lexi said as she adjusted her glance back to her computer.

“Kid, what are you doing?” Drack asked from the doorway.

Sara folded a shirt and threw it in a black duffle bag before turning to the Krogan. “I’m sure you heard.”

“But, why?”

“Do I really have to explain it?” Sara grabbed her model ship and tossed it next to the shirt.

“Yeah. You do. Thousands of people would kill to fill your shoes on this ship. It’s not just something you can say no to.”

“But I did.” Realizing this wouldn’t sate the Krogan’s curiosity she added, “plus, I’m not fit for this crew.”

“And what makes you say that?” despite Drack’s gentler disposition he remained 

stationary by the door.

Sara looked at her bag and then quickly turned on her heel. “This,” she motioned to the 

crew bunks and the small office desks in the corner, “isn’t for me. This is all for Scott. This entire team is already so close it’s like walking in on a family reunion. Don’t think I didn’t catch the eyes that were glued on me the moment I stepped foot on the Tempest. I don’t belong here.” She took a shuddered breath. “All of you got your chance to get out in Andromeda and put your footprint in the sand.” 

Drack watched her behind glass eyes. “We won’t get in your way, Kid.”

Sara let out a small cynical  laugh. “I’m getting out. Away from the Tempest,” her fist clenched at her side, “and Scott.” 

Drack bowed his head and moved to leave. “Just don’t let your anger run you into the ground.”

Sara opened her mouth in defiance but the Krogan was already gone. 

The week between the Ryder’s dispute and the next trip to the Nexus was spent in a strained neutralism. After Sara packed she stuck mainly to her quarters, sometimes she snuck into the armory after the crew was asleep. She took remnant guns apart to try to better her understanding of them. Sometimes Vetra would find her in the morning, her face pressed gently to the glass table. She didn't tell Scott. 

The morning they docked at the Nexus, Sara felt unbelievably flustered. For the first time since she got out of cryo, she wouldn't be watched. She would finally be free. She was growing warm with excitement. She ran her agenda over in her mind. She would get a job with one of the merchants and raise enough money for her own shuttle. Then she would leave, get out of Heleus and really discover all Andromeda had to offer. She smiled to herself as she grabbed her duffle bag and hung it over her shoulder. She walked to the galley to grab an apple before she got off the ship.

Despite Scott’s anguish with the predicament, he gave her a long hug. She questioned if she should apologize for her actions, but deep down she knew that the only thing that could fix their relationship is if she were to succeed on her own. But she hugged nonetheless.  


End file.
